


The Beyond Words Collection

by Heatherlly



Series: The Heart of Camelot Weekly Drabble Challenges [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-03 23:24:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 6,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heatherlly/pseuds/Heatherlly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A variety of 100-300 word drabbles featuring the words provided in the third series of our weekly challenges over at <a href="http://theheartofcamelot.com/">The Heart of Camelot</a>. These are all based on the relationship between Mordred and Kara, though individual rating may vary.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fascinate

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Fascinate  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

"Selyf, you know what they say about him!"

The Druid leader ran his fingers through his sandy hair and sighed. "Yes, I'm aware of the prophecies, in addition to the gossip about his unusual powers. It is of no matter. He's a child, and..."

"He's _dangerous_!"

"As I said, Mordred is a _child_ ," Selyf stated more firmly. "It's our solemn duty to help those in need, and besides, the evil the seers speak of isn't predicted to come to pass for many years. If his fate is set in stone, turning him away will change nothing. However, if I'm correct in believing we all have _some_ choice in this life, perhaps our kindness will set his feet upon a more gentle path."

"But..."

"This is my final word on the subject. Mordred will be given shelter, and be treated with the same respect as anyone else who resides among us. I refuse to have it any other way."

"As you say," the other Druid conceded in a defeated voice, bowing respectfully before he left the tent.

Selyf followed him outside, shaking his head with a rueful smile as his eyes fell upon the young girl who'd obviously been listening in on the exchange.

"Eavesdropping again, my little dove?"

"Is it true?" she whispered in fascination, shooting a furtive glance at the cloaked figure seated alone at the edge of camp. "Is he really dangerous?"

Selyf gave her a stern look. "Kara, we do not judge people who've committed no crime against us."

"Yes, father," she replied meekly, looking slightly abashed.

Smiling kindly, he tousled her soft brown curls. "That's better. Now why don't you invite young Mordred to join us for supper? I imagine he must be hungry."


	2. Delicate

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Delicate  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

"An enviable trait of youth," Selyf commented thoughtfully, watching the two small figures disappear into the trees.

"What's that? Conveniently vanishing when there are chores to be done?"

Selyf chuckled as he glanced over at his sour faced companion. "Well, yes, but that's not what I was referring to. Only the young can be strangers on the first day, and unable to live without one another by the next."

~*~

"Over here, Mordred!" Kara cried excitedly.

The Druid boy rushed to her side, grinning as he spotted the small patch of wild strawberries. He joined her on the ground and they scrambled greedily for the ripe red fruit, oblivious to the juices that stained their skin as they savored the delicate sweetness.

"Mordred?"

"Mmmm?"

"Why is everyone afraid of you?"

He sighed. "I don't know. Maybe because I'm powerful. I can do things that others of our kind can't."

"Like what?"

 _Like this.._. he thought at her, watching nervously as her eyes widened.

"Some Druids can do that. My father can."

Mordred shook his head. "Not children. I'm... different."

To his surprise and immense relief, Kara moved closer and wrapped her sticky fingers around his. "I want to be different, too. Will you teach me?"

"You have to focus your magic on the person you're trying to reach. I don't know how to explain it, you just..."

 _Mordred?_ she thought as hard as she could. Unfortunately, all he noticed was her making a scrunched up face at him, as if she'd been sucking on lemons. He burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" she hissed, giving him a wounded look.

"I'm sorry. You'll be able to do it someday, I promise."


	3. Mystical

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Mystical  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

_Kara..._

_I'm here, Mordred. Over by the oak tree._

The young Druid moved on silent feet, guided more by the feel of her presence than the sound of her voice echoing in his head. When he saw the familiar face peeping out from a nearby thicket, he smiled, quickening his steps as he made his way to her side.

"We shouldn't be out here. You know it isn't safe."

Kara rolled her eyes at him. "Father's sound asleep."

"But the others..."

"I don't know why he forbids us from leaving camp after dark anyway. He never used to care, and it's not like we ever go far."

Mordred shifted uncomfortably, understanding the reason behind Selyf's new restrictions. He'd known it as soon as the Druid leader had suddenly informed him that he'd be receiving his own tent, rather than sleeping in close quarters with Kara as they'd always done in the past. It was because they weren't children anymore, and even if Kara couldn't see the growing infatuation in his eyes, her father wasn't so blind.

"I don't know either," he shrugged, taking her hand and leading the way to a nearby clearing. As always, she followed without question, the only person who'd ever trusted him completely.

"But why do you think...?"

"Hush," he said gently. "Look up at the sky, Kara."

She gasped in delight. "Mordred!"

 _Shooting stars_ , he murmured in her mind, as the mystical radiance of the meteor shower cast a soft blue glow over the meadow where they stood.

"They're beautiful!"

 _So are you_ , he thought, his gaze transfixed on her awestruck face rather than the spectacle above their heads. 

But this time, he decided to keep the words to himself.


	4. Passionate

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Passionate  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Butterflies danced in the pit of Kara's stomach as a familiar hand reached out and touched her shoulder.

"Mordred!" she gasped in mock surprise, though as she turned to face him she knew he wasn't fooled. They'd been able to sense one another's presence for years; there was no use in pretending that her swiftly beating heart had anything to do with being unaware that he'd been standing behind her.

"Sorry to startle you," he said softly, kind enough to keep up the pretense if necessary.

She flushed in embarrassment. "I..."

"I know," he murmured, though Kara had no idea how he could possibly understand how she was feeling. Even _she_ didn't understand it... why the slightest touch from him made her breathless and shaky these days, when it had never affected her that way in the past. Why did she suddenly feel so awkward around him, shy and uncertain over the smallest things, when she'd never been afraid to share her every thought with him before?

" _How_ do you know?"

Mordred smiled as he stepped closer, and the world grew hazy as he reached out to touch her face. "Because I..."

He shook his head and to her amazement, leaned down and placed a gentle kiss upon her lips. And then he drew back for a moment to cautiously examine her features, releasing a shaky breath when he seemed to find what he was looking for.

"I thought so. Me too." 

The second kiss was much less hesitant than the first as Kara wound her arms around Mordred's neck and tangled her fingers in his hair. By the third, they were locked in a passionate embrace, each wondering why it had taken them so long to recognize the truth.


	5. Haunting

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Haunting  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

"What's happened?" Kara gasped in shock.

Selyf silenced her with a measuring look. "I don't know. Our best healers are tending to him now, but as long as he remains unconscious..."

"I want to see him!"

"No, Kara. Mordred is in a terrible state. You must wait until his condition is more stable."

"But what if he dies?!"

Selyf wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders, speaking much more gently than he had before. "That isn't going to happen. Mordred is strong; you know that better than anyone. Just be patient and let the healers do their work. They will not fail him."

He silently prayed this would prove true, even as his suspicions as to why the boy had been injured in the first place filled his heart with dread.

Mordred had gone on a hunting trip with a few of the other young Druids. What had happened after that Selyf didn't quite know; all he'd been told was that a group of men dressed in black had fallen upon the party of youths, and despite the fact that Mordred had already been badly injured, he'd single-handedly managed to incapacitate the assailants.

A shiver went down Selyf's spine. It wasn't as if these things never happened, of course. Rogue bandits occasionally targeted smaller Druid camps, unable to resist the temptation of plentiful supplies guarded by a peaceful people.

But _these_ men... Selyf feared there was something more sinister at stake. If not, why had they centered their attack upon Mordred alone, leaving the others untouched?

The question haunted him, even as a wizened old healer shuffled over to inform him that the boy was out of danger.

 _Alas_ , he thought to himself dismally. _If only that were true._


	6. Exquisite

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Exquisite  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** T  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Mordred watched Kara in fond amusement as she fussed over his bed, fluffing pillows and smoothing the blankets over his prone body.

"You don't have to do that. Really, I'm fine now."

She scowled down at him, though her eyes were filled with affection. "I refuse to believe that until you're up and about again. Besides, it's my right to take care of you. I'm your..." and then she faltered, her cheeks turning red.

"The woman I love?" he said softly.

"I..." Perhaps it was obvious after all the months of longing looks and hungry kisses, but it was the first time he'd ever said it aloud. Tears sprang to Kara's eyes. "I love you, too, Mordred."

He smiled softly as he held out his arms. "Come here."

"But your wound..."

"It's fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore, really."

That wasn't really true; although his other injuries had fully healed, the gash in his side still pained him. He wasn't telling Kara that though... not with the exquisite perfume of fresh clover surrounding him, her body warm and sweet as she nestled her head against his chest and reached up to stroke his face with gentle fingers. It was easy to forget lingering pain when his lips found hers in the darkness, moaning low in his throat as his hand unconsciously slid down to cup her breast.

Abruptly, she broke the kiss. "Mordred!"

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take advantage."

She blushed deeply, biting her lip as she avoided his eyes. "No, I want us to... just not until you're recovered."

His eyes widened. "You mean...?"

"Yes," she whispered as she rose and turned to leave, peeking back at him shyly over one shoulder. "I'm ready."


	7. Penetrate

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Penetrate  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** T  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Kara knew all about lovemaking... or at least, she thought she did. Couples joined together in their tents late at night, assuming the rest of the camp was sleeping too soundly to hear their soft sounds of pleasure. Or sometimes, a pair of figures disappeared into the darkness of the forest, returning hours later with stars in their eyes.

She'd certainly never thought it was something that happened during sunny afternoons.

"I have nothing to swim in," she told Mordred, studying the lake with dubious eyes.

He pulled her closer, making her shiver as his warm breath tickled her ear. "Clothes would only be a hindrance for what I have in mind."

"Right now?!"

"No one will see, I promise. But if you're not ready..."

"It's not that," she hastily reassured him. "I just thought it would happen at night, when we wouldn't feel so... _exposed_. Are you sure?"

Mordred knelt before her on the grass, clasping her hands between his own. He stared up at her with penetrating eyes filled with deep devotion, followed by something intensely vulnerable and even a little sad.

"Kara, we constantly fear the exposure of who we truly are. I cannot bear for our love to be cloaked in secrecy, too. We shouldn't have to hide under cover of darkness... not from each other."

Shyness was soon overcome by desire as Mordred lay naked with her on the soft grass, arousing her senses to a fever pitch with deep, lingering kisses and hungry caresses that elicited tiny whimpers and breathless sighs from them both. 

And in the end, Kara forgot all about the sun shining overhead when Mordred entered her for the first time, gazing down at her with stars in his eyes.


	8. Wistful

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Wistful  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** T  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Although she'd never grow tired of lovemaking itself, it was the peaceful intimacy in the wake of spent passion Kara loved best of all. She never felt more cherished than she did when she lay with her head on Mordred's chest, relishing the way he tenderly stroked the damp curls away from her forehead as they grew drowsy in each other's arms.

Only one thing ever arose to intrude on the quiet perfection of these moments; unfortunately, it did so way too often. So she wasn't surprised in the least when he murmured, "Did you remember to take your herbs?"

She rolled her eyes. "You've asked me that dozens of times by now. When have I ever forgotten?"

"I'm sorry, Kara. We have to be careful."

"Would it be so bad if we were to have a child?" she said a little wistfully.

Mordred sat up abruptly, avoiding her eyes. "We're not married."

"Every child is treated as a blessing among our kind, as you well know. But if the absence of wedlock bothers you, a simple handfasting..."

"That's not what I meant," he said softly. "I just wouldn't want to get you with child unless I was sure I'd be around to help you, that's all."

"Why wouldn't you be, Mordred?" she demanded, suddenly frightened. "Are you not sure your feelings for me will last?"

"Don't be absurd." His voice grew softer as he lay back down and resumed stroking her hair. "I will love you until the day I die. Believe me, I have no intention of ever leaving your side unless I have no other choice."

Kara grudgingly accepted his words of reassurance, forcing herself to swallow her unspoken fears as their conversation dwindled into heavy silence.


	9. Gloomy

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Gloomy  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Selyf gazed sadly at the young Druid he'd come to love like a son over the years. "I'm afraid there's no other choice. I'm sorry, Mordred."

"Don't apologize," Mordred responded, the sorrow in his eyes contradicting his stoic expression. "You have a responsibility to protect the others."

"I do this for your safety more than anyone else's. That might be difficult to believe, but..."

Mordred managed a tiny smile. "I've never doubted you, and I don't intend to start now."

"I'm not sure how to break this to Kara," Selyf sighed. "Now that you're lovers..."

"Y-you knew?"

"We Druids may seem secretive to the outside world, but there's little we don't know about one another." 

"I'm sorry, I..."

"Don't." Selyf shook his head with a smile, before laying a comforting hand on Mordred's shoulder. "Love is the one thing we should never apologize for, nor feel shame for how we express those feelings. That's advice I'd like you to carry into the future."

~*~

"I'm coming with you."

"No, Kara. It's too dangerous."

"I don't _care_! Mordred, _please_..."

He swallowed hard when she burst into tears, allowing her to pummel his chest until she'd finally vented her anger and collapsed into his waiting arms.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice muffled as he buried his face in her soft curls. "But it isn't forever, I promise. No matter what happens, I'll find you again."

They spent their last night entwined beneath the stars, forgetting reality for those final precious hours. But when the dawn came, painted in the gloomiest shades of gray, there was no avoiding the inevitable.

Mordred pressed a gentle kiss to Kara's sleeping face, then quietly slipped away.


	10. Forlorn

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Forlorn  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Mordred had hoped his loneliness would become easier to cope with after he'd grown accustomed to being on his own. Eventually he _did_ learn to focus on himself when necessary – the combat training he'd decided he needed if he were to survive in a world where he couldn't openly use his magic, as well as the constant vigilance required to ensure his own safety. 

But for days, weeks, months, and then years, not a single night passed that didn't leave him feeling isolated and forlorn, desperately longing to be with Kara again.

What was she doing now? Was she safe? Happy? Did she miss him the way he missed her? 

Sometimes it took all the strength he had to prevent himself from rushing back to her side, unable to think of anything except how wrong it felt to be without her. It was only when he remembered their separation was for her sake as much as his own that he managed to bring his emotions under control.

It wasn't just about her immediate safety. No, it was more than that, coming to Mordred first as a faraway dream, and then in whispers of a strong alliance of magical people that was gradually building in the north.

Mordred wanted to give Kara more than a life spent in the shadows. Freedom, justice, acceptance... a world without the threat of terrible punishment hanging over their heads if their powers were revealed. He longed for her to have the life she deserved, refusing to settle for anything less for the woman he loved.

With that in mind, he pressed on in his solitary quest, his face turned northward... to the hope which lay in the only other woman he'd ever invested his faith in.

Morgana.


	11. Diabolic

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Diabolic  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Driving the dagger into Morgana's body was the most difficult thing Mordred had ever done. He'd never forget how deeply it had pained him to turn upon the woman who'd been his only friend when he'd found himself alone in the world, nor how sick he'd felt when she'd stared up at him with eyes full of betrayal... eyes that had once brimmed over with kindness.

... eyes which now held a distinctive glint of insanity.

But as much as it hurt to strike her down, Mordred was overwhelmed by relief in the aftermath. He'd spent years tiptoeing across a yawning precipice, inches away from plunging into darkness if that's what it took to win the freedom he longed for with quiet, unyielding desperation. He'd never done anything terrible enough to condemn himself, but he'd come close more than once... far too close for comfort.

Mordred had never fully committed to either side, simply because he'd never been forced to do so. He'd always wondered if he'd have the strength to walk a more difficult path rather than convincing himself that the ends justified the means.

Well, now he knew the answer.

Arthur still treated his kind with the utmost suspicion, and Mordred knew it would be a fatal mistake to reveal his powers anytime soon. But there'd been no hatred in Arthur's eyes, none of the diabolical madness which had motivated Morgana's every action. There'd only been naiveté, confusion, even compassion as he'd gazed at the sister who meant to murder him.

 _I did the right thing,_ Mordred reassured himself, remembering a prince who'd once defied his father in order to return an orphaned Druid boy to his people. _We can never hope to gain our freedom through cruelty or brute force._


	12. Ethereal

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Ethereal  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Mordred would always be at his most comfortable in the forest, having been raised as a Druid for much of his life. Yet there was _something_ about Camelot he adored above all other places – not the bustling activity that marked its sunny days, but the ethereal silence which blanketed the city late at night, the soft glow of moonlight bathing the towers of the Citadel as its inhabitants slept peacefully beneath the velvet firmament.

In the beginning, Mordred assumed it was the beauty alone that appealed to his senses so much, but after spending quite a few months in Camelot, he realized it was something more than that. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it had something to do with possibility... promise... a fleeting glimpse of stillness just before the glorious hope of a fresh new day.

The thing that was so special about the city was how it filled his heart with hope... the way it made him feel as if he were making a positive difference in ways that had never been possible before.

Life as a knight wasn't perfect by any means. As the youngest, the newcomer, he was obligated to prove himself far more than the others, and he still hadn't figured out exactly why Merlin treated him with so much suspicion when he'd done nothing but show his loyalty toward the king through every word and deed.

But despite that, Arthur believed in him without question... and if the king himself felt that way after only a few months, what might be possible in the future?

Mordred couldn't be sure, but in the meantime, he was quite content to gaze out over the city during the wee hours of the night and lose himself in dreams.


	13. Luminous

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Luminous  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Kara... oh, it felt good to hold her in his arms again. 

She smelled just as he remembered, of clover, sunshine, and sweetness. Her body was soft against his own slender physique which had been toned and hardened by constant training. Hers had changed, too, having blossomed into the full curves of womanhood during their years apart.

And her face... those captivating eyes, that gentle smile... it was hard to divert his attention away from her luminous beauty in order to focus on her injured leg.

Kara was in peril as long as she remained close to Camelot. He didn't know how she'd gotten herself mixed up with the Saxons; that was a conversation for another time. For now, he needed to heal her wound and help her to safety; perhaps he might bring her back once her presence couldn't be connected with the numerous crimes occurring around the kingdom.

She didn't believe him. He saw it in her eyes when he tried to explain why he'd become a knight, that Arthur was a good man who'd given him every reason to hold faith in the future. But then, why would she? Mordred himself had needed proof of Arthur's goodness before his allegiance had been decided.

One day, she'd meet him, and then she'd understand.

"You're safe here," he murmured gently as he reached out to caress her face. "No one will harm you, I promise."

They shared a few precious kisses before Kara grew drowsy, no doubt aided by the herbs he'd used to treat her injury. Ignoring the fact that he should return under cover of darkness, Mordred cradled her sleeping body in his arms until sunrise, unable to bring himself to let her go until it could be avoided no longer.


	14. Imperious

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Imperious  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

The person standing before the court was a stranger to Mordred, cold and imperious as she freely admitted to taking part in the brutal murders committed by the Saxons. There was nothing familiar in how she harshly condemned the king, eyes shining with a fanatical light as she wished destruction upon the entire kingdom.

Unbidden, a half forgotten memory appeared in Mordred's mind... Kara, _his_ Kara, bursting into tears when he'd made the mistake of killing a rat in front of her. He'd tried to defend his actions, arguing that it was a pest that would devour their supplies if given the chance. It hadn't mattered; she'd refused to speak to him until he'd apologized profusely and conceded the point that _every_ living thing had a right to life unless it was absolutely necessary to end it.

Kara had always represented the very essence of the Druid people in Mordred's eyes. She'd been sensitive, peaceful, and full of love, positively sickened by the thought of violence. He might be willing to accept the belief that Arthur needed to die as a part of the Kara he knew... misguided, but a part of her, if it had been spoken with reluctance and regret.

But this cold, vengeful, unfeeling person was _not_ his Kara. No, the only time throughout the trial when he was given a glimpse of the Kara he loved was in the moment she'd lied in order to protect him, claiming that a passing stranger had provided the treatment for her wound.

Beyond that, he was utterly bewildered by her strange behavior... until he heard the name she uttered as the guards led her from the hall.

"You can do as you wish. It will not stop Morgana's uprising!"

And that explained everything.


	15. Crestfallen

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Crestfallen  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Prostrate on his knees before the king, Mordred made no attempt to suppress his tears as he begged for Kara's life. He'd never remember everything he said, just bits and pieces that spoke of the terrified desperation he'd been feeling as he'd thrown himself upon Arthur's mercy, praying to all the powers of the Old Religion that it would be enough.

"She's not to blame. Morgana is using her in her quest for power."

"You know this girl?"

"... since I was a child, she's always lived inside my heart."

He'd never forget that part, for the truth of the words had opened his eyes to just how dark the world would be without her. If Kara were executed, it wouldn't merely break his heart... it would utterly destroy him. He might continue to breathe, but any trace of goodness within him, everything that was loving, hopeful, and pure, would die along with her.

Mordred remembered the kindness in Arthur's eyes, the compassion in his voice, and all for nothing. No matter how gently the king attempted to treat the matter as he offered words of comfort to his crestfallen knight, it only amounted to the request being denied. There was no measure of sympathy that could make that harsh reality any easier to bear.

But it still wasn't as difficult as returning to Kara's cell to inform her he'd failed... that she was doomed to die on the morrow because he couldn't convince Arthur she was only a victim of Morgana's treachery, whether she realized it herself or not.

And after all the tears and heartfelt pleas he'd spilled on her behalf, what hurt the most was the grim resignation in her eyes as he realized she'd already given up the fight.


	16. Surrender

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Surrender  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** T  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Never in his life would Mordred have believed he'd find himself staring at Kara in horror as she murdered an innocent man in cold blood. And yet there she stood, gazing back at him with a peculiar expression of wide-eyed innocence as she held his dripping dagger in one fist.

"He's a Camelot soldier," she commented matter-of-factly, as if _that_ were reasonable justification for slaying a person who'd caused them no harm.

Mordred shook his head as they fled the dungeons; if only Arthur had listened to him, they could've worked with Gaius to release her from whatever thrall of Morgana's she was under, closely supervised until she'd been restored to herself again. As it was...

They managed to escape to the forest, but he knew by the sound of the pursuers closing the distance behind them that it was over. Perhaps he'd realized it all along, but it didn't matter... he would've never been able to surrender without having done everything in his power to secure Kara's freedom, no matter how futile his efforts might've been.

 _Use your magic!_ her voice hissed inside his mind as he stared at the men he counted among his dearest friends. _Kill them!_

He had the power. It boiled up within him as an automatic defensive response, even as he fought to push it down.

_Use your magic! Do it!_

Kara screamed inside his head, sounding absolutely nothing like the woman he loved. How could he make her understand, this bloodthirsty stranger who perceived other human beings as disposable? Yet how could he condemn _her_ to die instead?

In the end, the decision was taken out of his hands with a brutal blow to the head. Mordred grunted in surprise as the world went black.


	17. Macabre

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Macabre  
 **Category:** Het (Canon)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

Perhaps it was foolish to waste their final night of life by sleeping through most of it, but Mordred and Kara were simply too exhausted to do anything else. At least Arthur had shown mercy in granting them adjoining cells; there was a great deal of comfort to be found in the hands that remained tightly clasped as the new day's doom loomed over them both.

Haunted by macabre visions of the thick rope hanging from the gallows in the courtyard, Mordred slept fitfully, awakening in the pale gray light just before dawn to touch Kara's face and reassure himself she was still alive, at least for the time being. 

Perhaps there was still a chance for her... some hope of reprieve which hadn't yet been presented. It was only the final traces of his lingering faith in Arthur that allowed Mordred to cling to that idea when all else seemed lost. Not that it was particularly convincing, of course, becoming alarmingly less so as morning approached. But it was enough to hold his panicked screams at bay. It had to be.

He couldn't lose it. Not now. Whatever happened, for good or ill, Kara needed him to remain strong for her sake.

Mordred didn't know how he managed to fall asleep again, but he returned to consciousness with a jolt of horror as her cell door creaked open. Sir Leon... he'd counted him among his dearest friends, unable to wrap his head around the idea that such a gentle man was to lead the woman he loved to the gallows.

"We've come to take her to the king." 

And then there was nothing left to do but wait in the cold silence of the empty dungeon.


	18. Magnetic

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Magnetic  
 **Category:** Het (Canon AU)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

"If you repent your crimes, I will spare your life."

Kara stared at the king as he finished his speech, amazed she'd been given a final chance at a reprieve rather than being led straight to the gallows. She knew then that Mordred was right about this man... saddened by the realization that Arthur had a truly merciful heart, quite unlike the monster Morgana had painted him out to be.

That made it so much more painful to speak the words... poisonous beliefs she no longer had the ability to contradict no matter how hard she tried. Her mouth opened against her will, Morgana's thoughts drawn out of her as if some magnetic force dictated her powers of speech.

"I cannot repent a crime I have not committed."

"Kara..."

'Only one regret,' she remembered saying to Mordred the night before, though he couldn't have possibly known she'd been speaking of allowing Morgana to infect her with hatred, of her terrible folly in trusting the witch to begin with.

"You deserve everything that's coming to you, Arthur Pendragon."

"In that case, Kara, I have no choice but to carry out your sentence."

"Wait."

Kara looked up in surprise as a man with dark hair pushed his way through the crowd and leaned over the throne to speak quietly with the king.

"Merlin, you heard what she said. There's nothing else I can do."

"One hour, Arthur, that's all I ask. If she really means the words she says, nothing changes. But if she doesn't, if this is some vile trick of Morgana's, we might be able to save an innocent life."

The king hesitated for what seemed like a lifetime before he finally nodded in agreement. "Very well."


	19. Remorse

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Remorse  
 **Category:** Het (Canon AU)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K+  
 **Word Count:** 300

* * *

The awful sounds Mordred had been dreading never came.

There was no snapping of rope, no chilling creak of a trap door as it opened beneath the feet of the victim while the gathered crowd gasped in fascinated horror. No, there was only silence throughout the endless hours as morning gave way to afternoon.

One of the guards brought him lunch at some point, though the only response to his frantic questions was a muttered, "I don't know, Sir Mordred."

Night had fallen when Gwaine arrived, saying nothing as he unlocked the cell and beckoned Mordred to follow him. It wasn't long before he figured out their destination, torn between curiosity and fear as they entered Arthur's private chambers.

"Mordred, come in."

But he barely noticed Arthur as his gaze fell upon a familiar figure seated at the table, staring back at him with tear filled eyes.

"Kara?"

"Very observant," Arthur remarked dryly, though he smiled as Mordred rushed over and wrapped her in a crushing embrace.

"I don't understand. What...?"

Gaius stepped forward out of the shadows. "This girl was enchanted, which unfortunately seems to be a favorite trick of Morgana's. I'll provide details later if you wish... for now, it's enough that the spell has been broken."

Kara looked up at Mordred with remorseful eyes. "What I said... what I did... I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," he responded gently. "I knew it wasn't you when..."

Arthur abruptly cleared his throat. "As pleased as I am that this unfortunate matter has been resolved, there's still the question of punishment. You violated my direct orders, Mordred. I cannot turn a blind eye to that."

"I know, sire. I will gladly accept whatever you feel is fair."


	20. Devotion

**My contribution to our "[Beyond Words](http://theheartofcamelot.com/forum-90.html)" drabble challenge.**

**Word:** Devotion  
 **Category:** Het (Canon AU)  
 **Characters/Pairings:** Mordred/Kara  
 **Rating/Warnings:** K  
 **Word Count:** 300  
 **Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed this series! Please review and let me know what you think.

* * *

"How bad?"

"Six months suspension from service, and a list of duties I'm too tired to even think about yet. Oh, and we're both under constant surveillance for the time being, though I doubt Arthur intends to enforce that."

"I'm sorry, Mordred. If it weren't for me..."

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be who I am. Let it go, Kara. This is nothing compared with what we almost lost."

"I suppose you're right," she said as she settled herself beside him. "But..."

"Will you stay?" he interrupted, his expression soft and vulnerable as he reached for her hand. "I don't think I can bear being parted from you again."

"I've nowhere else to go, not that it matters anyway. I have no wish to leave."

"Selyf?"

She avoided his eyes as she shook her head.

"I thought so. I'm sorry, Kara."

"That's why I went to Morgana in the first place. I don't even know who killed him, I was just frightened and angry. I needed someone to blame."

Mordred nodded. "I nearly ended up following her myself, with far less justification than fresh grief. But for all her cruelty, I don't hate her. How can I? She could've done so much good for our kind, yet she's thrown that chance away. I can only feel sadness for so much wasted potential."

"I know."

"One day, we'll be free. Arthur will see to that."

Kara was somewhat less certain, but was willing to wait around and see if the king might indeed accept magic someday. She pushed her lingering doubts aside, putting faith in the fact that Mordred would never serve a man with such tireless devotion without very good reason for doing so.


End file.
